Traveling to and Within Yosemite

You can reach Yosemite by private vehicle from the west and south via highways CA-120, CA-41, and CA-140 year round. You can reach Yosemite by vehicle from the east via highway CA-120 from Lee Vining over Tioga Pass from late spring, usually late May or early June, through mid-autumn, usually upon the first significant snowfall in November. (See "Tioga Road" in this Web site's introduction to Yosemite for more information on the Tioga Road seasonal closure.) Obtain information on road conditions before you travel.

You can fly into an airport near Yosemite and then rent a private vehicle or connect to a bus (motorcoach) service to reach the park. The nearer airports are smaller fields; their commercial flights are less numerous and may be more expensive than those to the more distant major airports.

You can travel to and from Yosemite Valley using a combination of train (rail) and bus (motorcoach) services from much of California. You can use the passenger rail service Amtrak to arrange that entire trip. To reach Yosemite Valley, you can:

travel by Amtrak "Thruway" bus service to any city served by Amtrak's San Joaquin route, including Oakland, Sacramento, and Bakersfield,

travel by rail on the San Joaquin train to the city of Merced, and

travel by Amtrak "Thruway" bus service from Merced to Yosemite Valley.

This service therefore allows you to travel from Los Angeles to Yosemite Valley or from San Francisco to Yosemite Valley without using a private vehicle.

To book your entire trip, use Amtrak's online reservation service to book round-trip Amtrak travel to "YOS" (Yosemite Valley). Choose your starting location from the Station List. For example, use "SFC" for the Ferry Building in San Francisco or "LAX" for Union Station in Los Angeles.

You can also book Amtrak rail travel to or from "MCD" (Merced) and make other arrangements for travel between Merced and Yosemite Valley. Scheduled bus (motorcoach) services between the Merced Amtrak station and Yosemite Valley are available from YARTS and from VIA.

YARTS: serves Yosemite Valley from Merced, Mariposa, Midpines, El Portal, and other communities all year, and from Mammoth Lakes, June Lake, and Lee Vining across Tioga Pass during the summer. It provides the option of leaving your private vehicle outside the park, using only shuttles for motorized transport inside the park.

You can use a private vehicle to drive within Yosemite National Park. Roads and parking areas are marked on maps in the Yosemite Guide. Speed limits do not exceed 45mph (about 72kph) anywhere in the park, and are lower in many places.

To reduce traffic in Yosemite Valley, you will find it convenient and pleasant to park your car and walk or bicycle to the places you want to see, or ride the free shuttle buses that serve the Valley's east end. If visiting for the day, park in the day-use parking lot near Yosemite Village.

The Tioga Road (CA-120) and Glacier Point Road beyond Badger Pass Ski Area are closed each year due to snow from late fall until late spring. See "Tioga Road" in this Web site's introduction to Yosemite for more information on the Tioga Road seasonal closure. The road to Mariposa Grove is open year round but is subject to closures of extended periods during and after snowstorms.